Stephen Schilling has some potential at the next level. He is an average guard prospect but if he gets stronger and gets coached up he has some potential at the next level as a Guard. I also like the way he plays. He doesn’t stop blocking till the whistle blows and just loves to hit people. He should be able to stick around as a back-up, especially because of his versatility.

Scouting Report:

Positives

- 4 year starter- Versatile, has played many positions at Michigan- Seals the edge nicely- Good down blocker- Good in pass protection- Decent mobility- Plays with a good pad level- Doesn’t stop blocking till the whistle blows- Good potential, just needs to bulk up

Negatives

- Waist bender- Struggles to stay engaged when blocking down field- Falls down too much- Needs to get stronger and add some bulk- Has a tough time handling the bull rush because his lack of strength- Doesn’t generate much push in the run game- Needs to do a better job of driving his feet- Still a bit raw at Guard

A good run blocker that does his best work when he can pull and get out on the second level. Moves fairly well in space and can adjust in space to locate moving targets. Is a capable cut blocker. Has decent pop and is able to get position and wall off defenders. Does a nice job initiating contact in pass protection and has a decent punch that makes him effective in a short area. Finishes his blocks and shows very good mean streak.

CONS:

Lacks good footwork in pass protection and will give up ground to the bull rush. Overextends in pass protection. Needs to improve his hand placement off the snap as a run blocker and doesn't always consistently play with good pop. Has difficulty locking on at the point of attack, and the defender can shed him fairly easily at times. Needs to keep his feet better when drive blocking and will take poor angles from time to time. Needs to do a better job locking on at the second level and can get overextended there as well. He'll miss some assignments and whiff on blocks there because of it.

OVERVIEW:

Schilling flashes the tools you want in a quality starting NFL guard. He's not fully polished, but you can see with coaching he has a chance to be another solid Michigan offensive lineman, although they haven't produced the sort of quality over the past decade that they once did. He's best pulling and blocking on the second level and you think he has the potential work well in a zone blocking line like he did under Rich Rodriguez at Michigan. He started his freshman and sophomore year at right tackle, logging 24 starts (including two at right guard) in that span, and then moved inside to left guard the past two years for 25 more starts.

NFL FORECAST:

I think Schilling has the potential to be a solid starter at the next level, he just needs a bit more coaching. He is athletic enough to be a good zone blocking guard, but has enough size and strength to also work in a man blocking line. In the latter, he'll probably need a bit more polish because his sloppy hand use and technique can get the better of him at times. He's probably capable of coming in and handling a starting gig right away as a rookie, although giving him a year or two to develop some more certainly will help his chances of succeeding as a starter. I think at worst, you're going to have a quality reserve guard on your hands. He's a guy that by his second or third year should be ready to compete for a starting spot. And if he doesn't develop, then he may not be consistent enough to permanently hold onto a starting job, but is good enough that he'll be in and out of the lineup and a journeyman starter for several teams. In terms of his upside, he's not going to be an elite guard, but can be one of the better guys at his position like a Josh Sitton or Justin Smiley.

ATL FORECAST:

Schilling has the skills to compete in Atlanta, but he's probably going to need a bit more time to develop to make it in Atlanta's blocking scheme. He can be a good pulling guy, but probably isn't as strong or big enough as a road grader to really love his chances. He's capable of being a good swing guard his first few years, and then after two or so years under his belt he can probably be expected to push someone for a starting gig. But he's not a great bet to eventually win a job. He'll definitely upgrade the team's depth as he has better upside than someone like Garrett Reynolds because of his superior athleticism, but he's not a sure bet to be a starter before his rookie contract is up.

VALUE:

Schilling has good enough upside to merit a look in the late third round, but is probably a better bet coming off the board in the fourth round because it may take some time to develop him.

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